Disposable diaper holder



- y 1, 1940. E. T. WILSON. JR 2,201,255

DISPOSABLE DIAPER HOLDER Filed Doc. 8, 1939 Patented May 21 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPOSABLE DIAPER HOLDER Edward T. Wilson, Jr., Highland Park, N. 1.

Application December 8, 1939, Serlal No. 308,118 2 Claims. (01. 128-285 This invention relates to diaper holders.

One object of the invention is to provide a diaper holder having improved means for retaining a disposable diaper in such a manner as to I prevent the diaper from slipping within the pocket of the holder.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved diaper holder of the pocket type which shall avoid the use of pins for holding the 10 diaper in place within the pocket, and which shall not require projections or fasteners for engagement with the diaper, whereby any conventional diaper may be directly used and reliably positioned against slipping downward in the ll pocket.

Another object of the invention is to furnish such an improved diaper holder, whose pocket shall be fully and freely accessible for washing and rinsing to thoroughly clean all corners and 20 sections of the pocket, and with the diaper holder so retaining the diaper as to assure complete protection and safety.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved elastically mounted diaper 25 holder which shall not cause uncomfortable tension on the body of the child nor leave marks on its body due to such tension.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a diaper holder which shall cover the an abdomen or stomach of the child to furnish a device which may serve as a garment, controlled by form fit elements for tension distribution over the abdomen, with such tension preferably arranged to hold up the adjacent end of the 35 diaper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diaper holder wherein a single elastic element is coordinated with a belly-band section to assure a normally greater tension at the waist line than 40 across the abdomen.

A further object of the invention is to provide a diaper holder of simple, inexpensive construction, and which is durable, reliable, convenient and efficient in use, and which may be based 4:; on a. single sheet of material; and the invention provides also an improved blank for this purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

50 With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed 55 drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an upper plan view of the diaper holder with the elastic portion fully stretched to show the true shape of the garment.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the diaper holder with the elastic portion in normal contracted condition, mg'ig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the diaper holder as applied to a child.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the diaper i holder applied to a child having a larger abdomen.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l0 denotes a diaper holder embodying the invention. The same may be made of any suitable material, preferably of moisture resistant character, for example, composition treated silk. The device l0 may have a lower or outer wall H and an upper or inner wall I! providing therebetween a pocket I3 for a disposable diaper l4. Formed in the inner wall I2 is a large opening l5, through which the diaper I4 is inserted and removed and engaged in operative relation to the body of the childby the pocket l3. The latter may be coextensive in size with the diaper holder, and may be continuously marginally closed in a substantially liquid-tight manner so that any dripping is avoided. The construction may now be described advantageously by reference to my new a blank shown in Fig. 4.

Desirably the diaper holder I0 is made mainly of a single sheet of material, such as the blank IS. The latter is adapted to be longitudinally folded along the dot-dash lines I! which are convexed toward each other. These fold lines ll define a central symmetrical section which forms the outer wall l3, and identical side sections I2a which are joined together by seams l8 to provide the upper wall I 2. Each side section l2a may I have a lateral cut-out l9, these cut-outs diverging with respect to each other toward the bottom edge 20 of the blank. The arrangement is such that the mouths of the cut-outs, defined by the dot-dash lines 2| are similarly divergent with each other. outs extend the side edges 22 in divergent relation to each other toward the top edge 23 of the blank. From the lower edges of the cut-outs l9."

From the upper edges of the cut-' Similarly adapted to register with-the concavedv bottom edge 20, are the downwardly convergent, concaved side edges 25 which tend to shorten the inner wall. At the ends of the lower edge 29 of the blank, there are angular cut-outs 26; these in cooperation with the concave form of the bottom edge 20, serve to provide end projection or tab-like portions 21, the purpose of which will be later described.

In manufacture, the blank I9 may be folded along the lines l1, and the edges 22 and 24 seamed together as at l8, with the mouths 2| of the cut-outs falling along the center line of the diaper holder. Then the edges 23a may be seamed to the edge 23, and edges 25 seamed to the edge 20, with the seaming also interconnecting the respective edges of the cut-outs 26. The edge of the opening l5 may be finished or reenforced by a strip element l5a.

Referring again to the diaper holder I, it will be seen that the same comprises an abdominal section A, and a back or rear section R, substantially greater in width according to Fig. 1, than the section A. Between these sections is the narrowed generally tapered part which passes between the legs of the child. Any diaper, properly folded or fitted, and inserted into the pocket l3 may extend fully into the sections A and R, with the diaper holder affording an overlapping wall portion 28 for the diaper at the sides of the opening l5. To comfortably hold the diaper, the blank I6 is so constructed and folded that the outer wall H is greater in length than the inner wall l2, as evidenced by the joinder of the edges 20 and 25, for affording fullness.

Defining a belly-band section B for distribution of tension over the abdomen of the child is a reenforcing strip element 29 to avoid stretch in the section B. With the top edge lying along the waist line, the band element 29 may be approximately half way down the abdomen or at some part of the section R as indicated in Fig. 2.

Companion headed elements 33 for the female fastener elements 39 may be secured to the garment at or near the ends of the elastic 32 and may extend through both walls I and I2.

Connected to the diaper holder at points spaced t terminate at'the waist line of the mm, aid 74 inward of the fasteners l3, as at 34, are elements or ribbons 35 which can be tied to the respectlve ribbons 3| as at 36, preferably with the knots being close to the points of securements of the diiferent ribbons so that the position of the knots is thus predetermined. However, adjustability may be obtained by differently locating the knots 35.

. Desirably the points of securement 34 of the ribons-35 are spaced somewhat outwardly of the elastic 32, as for example, on the tabs 21, in order that the fabric between theelastic and the points 34 may be capable of shifting laterally for increased adjustment to stomachs of diflerent sizes.

The advantages of the garment with reference to its mounting means will be more clearly perceived by considering the manner of use thereof. After inserting the diaper 4 in the pocket II, the garment is placed between the legs of the child, and the fasteners 30 and 33 interengaged so that the garment assumes the general position shown in Fig. 5. Then the ribbons 3| and 35 are tied together to form the knots 36. The natural line of tension is from the "small of the back frontcures the adjacent end portions D of the diaper.

l4, where the greatest trouble is otherwise encountered in the falling down of the diaper unless the latter is pinned into the pocket. If the garment were to end at the reenforcement 29 such a problem would remain. This bellyband B also covers the abdomen where it is usually exposed by the very short shirts that are worn by small children.

Nevertheless the tension for supporting the diaper is diminished at the reenforcement 29, due to the full length of elastic 32 available, to thus avoid discomfort to the child and marking of the fatty part of its abdomen.

While the garments may pe made in different sizes for large, and small children, adjustment is desirable for large and small abdomens of children of the same size. This is obtained in a manner best seenby comparing Figs. 5 and 6. In the latter, the abdomen is larger and hence the fasteners 30, 33 have shifted frontward, with the part of the elastic 32 between the points 34 and the fasteners 33 subjected to a greater elongation. The part of the elastic between the points 34 may also have more elongation, but the entire action will be in proportion for uniform distribution of tension over the bellyband B. v

The tabs 21 serve to increase the comfort of the garment and its convenience in use.

I claim:

1. A device including a diaper holder comprising an elongated member having a pocket having an opening at the inner face of the member so that a diaper removably disposed in said pocket is held in operative-relation at said opening to the body of a child, with the member disposed between the legsof the child and providing front and back portions extending upward pocket extending substantially to the waist line ends of the member, said front portion providing a belly-band section of substantial width to overlie the abdomen of the child from the waist line to a point approximately half way down the abdomen, an elastic element connected to the rear portion in gathered relation of the latter along the waist line thereof and being elastically operative from side to side of said rear portion, detachable fastening means interconnecting the ends of said elastic element with the ends of the belly-band section at the lower edge of the latter, and fastening means interconnecting the ends of the belly-band section at the waist line thereof with the elastic element at points therealong spaced inward of the ends of the elastic element, whereby said bellyband section tensioningly engages over the adjacent end of the diaper to support the same with the elastic tension at the front being greater at the waist line than at a point approximately half way down the abdomen.

2. A device including a diaper holder comprising an elongated member having a pocket having an opening at the inner face of the member so that a diaper removably disposed in said pocket is held in operative relation at said opening to the body of a child, with the member disposed between the legs of the child and providing front and back portions extending upward to terminate at the waist line of the child, said pocket extending substantially to the waist line ends of the member, said front portion providing a belly-band section of substantial width, an elastic element connected to the rear portion and serving to contract the same, interconnecting fastener elements mounted at the ends of the elastic element and at the ends of the bellyband section at the lower edge of the latter, and interconnecting fastener elements at the ends of the belly-band section at the upper edge of the latter at the waist line and at'the elastic element at points spaced substantially inward of the elastic element, so that the back portion of the elastic element controls the belly-band tension at the waist line and the entire length of the elastic element governs belly-band tension along the lower edge thereof for a diminished tension at said lower edge, with the bellyband section overlying an adjacent end portion of the diaper to prevent the latter from accidentally moving downward in its pocket.

EDWARD T. WILSON, JR. 

